You know, I've been searching for THE PERFECT JEANS for Joey for the longest time. Most of the time I see are either not nice, or too expensive. And so, I was so happy to find that there's a 50% discount on the pair of jeans I liked at Fox kids!

After discount, it only costs about $19. Usually $25 is the max I would pay for any piece of clothings for my kid, cos they outgrow it super fast!

The best thing is the jeans also comes with a yellow polka dotted belt! Really good, cos I've also been searching for a belt for her. When you ask her to show u where is her belt, she would gleefully lift up her top to show you. Kekeke...

I think my girl looks good in jeans. =)

Suddenly she looks so grown up le.. :)

Today's bento turned out to be very 'yellow'. Most of the items are either yellow or in the family of yellows. :)

The whole bento

The first tier is a chicken with broccoli & mushroom soup which is nothing interesting to see. The 2nd tier is where Mr Sausage is. :)

3 heart-shaped onigiris, 2 egg stars (I steamed the egg using 2 star moulds.. heee), and Mr Sausage. The eyes and mouths are cut-out cheese.

Most bento-makers will use nori (seaweed sheet) to cut out the eyes & mouths using some puncher, but since Joey doesn't like to eat nori, I used cheese instead. But the outcome is of course not so good cos cheese breaks very easily. This is the best I could manage. =P But I am sure I will get better with practice.

To complete the meal is some diced golden kiwi in a separate container!

Noticed the cute flag picks and fork? They're my new finds at Daiso.. =D

................ my Joey can play the piano someday!!!

As many of you know, I love playing the piano. So it should not come as a surprise to you that I would want Joey to learn the piano. In my opinion, it's one of the most basic musical instruments and not only cutivates one's ability to read scores and pick up other musical instruments faster, it also helps the kid to develop an appreciation for music. A good thing!

Today we went over to JB to her grandaunt's place, and she was banging on the piano and singing along!

Got the 'sei', right? =D

I don't think I am a typical kiasu parent, and I for sure will not force my kid to learn a thousand and one things. What I will do is to expose her to many different things like different instruments, dances, sports, hobbies, and she can decide what she wants to learn. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she will definitely pick piano as one of those things. Don't worry, it's not going to start so soon, though kids can generally start learning piano at 2 years old. I think I want her to enjoy a little of her childhood first. Haha.. And since she's already starting school next year, we can take it one step at a time.

Oh suddenly remembered my dear mummy friend Dawn asked me the other day whether I am interested to let Joey learn swimming. The one her daughter goes to is quite good and they also offer lessons near where I stay. Well, we'll take it slow first.. =P

Finally. With a big F.

My Joey finally stayed in playgroup all by herself at service today!!!!

(Please give her a round of applause!)

Well, it didn't go all that smoothly of course. I left her at the playgroup before the service, said our goodbyes and hi-fives, and she was actually quite willing to let me go. The teacher told me later that she was happily playing with the toys at the beginning, till she remembered about me and cried asking for me. The teacher managed to distract her by letting her play with the laptop. Then later she started to cry again and so a teacher brought her out to let her eat some cakes.

It could have been a perfect try if not for what happened at the end. Haha.. I went to look for her after the service, and when I reached the playgroup, she was nowhere to be found! I asked for her inside the room, and one of the teachers told me she was eating cake outside. When I went outside the room, a teacher told me she brought her inside the room already. Turned out.... SHE WAS MISSING.

I was quite calm, I think, for a mother who just found her child missing. The whole place was filled with people because service just ended and there were many parents fetching their kids, so it was really very difficult to spot her anywhere. The teachers literally panicked! And they started to search for her frantically everywhere. Turned out, she had sneaked out of the room and walked all the way to the nursery side!! Thank God one of the nursery helpers spotted her and was talking to her. And so, I finally found my Joey. The teachers kept apologising profusely. Haha.. looks like my fears of leaving Joey alone in the playgroup did happen afterall.

Still, I think it's already a vast improvement for my darling, who used to break into tears the moment I leave her in the nursery or playgroup. I do feel abit pai sei for putting the teachers at such stress, cos they really have very few teachers taking care of so many kids. But somehow I got to start somewhere, otherwise I'll never get back to service!

And so, you can imagine, I had a great time at service today, soaking in the presence of God and listening to the preaching! =D *happy*

After service, I took some photos of Joey and they really make me laugh! She looks super happy la!

And this! This gotta be my most favorite photo of Joey & Papa so far! I can't help but smile whenever I see this photo!

And finally, this one. How can anyone laugh until like this??

I did a very mummy thing today! I attended a parenting talk! hahaha...

One of my CG members is the principal of Glory Joy Childcare Centrem and she invited me to a talk today. There were 2 speakers - 1 from MCYS and 1 from Touch Community Centre. I don't know why, but I was actually looking forward to attending it!

Joey waiting at the bus stop. The childcare centre is at wellington circle road, which is just 2 bus stops away from my place..

This is Glory Joy Childcare Centre!

While I listened to the talk, Joey was in the play area. So proud of her, she was by herself for the whole 3 hours! When I dropped her off, she didn't whine or resist much. When I explained that I would come back for her later, she said Yes! and went to join the kids. Hee..

Joey coloured a lion head while she was there!

I quite enjoyed the talks even though it lasted 3 hours. Especially from the 1st speaker, who is a Primary school teacher specialising in teaching difficult kids or kids with special learning needs such as those who are diagnosed with dyslexia, or Attention-deficit Hyperactive Deficiency, etc. She shared many of her experiences including those of her own and her students. I learnt alot of things, especially in the area of motivating and punishing kids. Joey may still be young now, but there are so many things I must take note now, when I am praising her, and when I discipline her.

Suddenly, I realised that it's beneficial to attend more of such talks, to empower myself as a mummy. Our kids' future and who he/she grows up to be, really depends on how well we bring them up. =)

With a new versatile bento box, of course I had to use it today for Joey's lunch! =D

This is my new bento box!

Joey's meal today:

Steamed rice, bite-size sausages cooked in carrot soup base, sliced fishcake, chopped broccoli and diced apples.

This box is good if I am rushing for time, cos I just plopped each dish in its place without having to worry about decoration or layout of the contents. When Joey is eating, this can serve as a plate for her to eat directly from, rather than having the nursery helper feed her. It's alot more organised and so, less messy when she's feeding herself. The 2 larger compartments allows me to separate her meal into 2 portions so that she can have 2 meals in 1 single bento box. =)

When I have more time, I probably will think of better ways to decorate the bento contents. I already have some inspiration on-hand. =D

I am happy with this bento box!

That's why, we should NEVER procrastinate. Once we procrastinate, we may NEVER have a chance to do what we intended to do in the first place!

My father-in-law brought home a colourful parrot one fine day because Joey likes to watch birds. It was really one lovely pretty parrot with all the colours of the rainbow (ok maybe not ALL, but SOME).

Something (or someone) has been telling me to take photo of the parrot and blog about it, since it's Joey's pet. But procrastination and forgetfulness kept getting in the way. It's been 2 weeks since Mr Parrot became a part of our family, but I have yet to take a photo of him.

Guess what?

MR. PARROT FLEW AWAY THIS MORNING!!!!!!!!

Yes I know how ridiculous this sounds, but according to my mother in law and Joey who were at home at time of crime, it simply opened the door with its beak and took off! Just like that! Without a trace of gratefulness for whatever amount of sunflower seeds it's eaten in the past 2 weeks. Hmmphh!!!

My CG members would have met Mr Parrot last Friday and can testify how pretty he looks. I tried to find a picture on the internet who resembles him, so try to imagine, he's something like this:

If you happen to see him galivanting somewhere, please tell him to return home ASAP.

Joey sounded teary when she told me about it on the phone. But then, she was probably more upset about the loss of a bird, rather than the loss of THAT bird. She ended the conversation by telling me,

"我们买过新的，OK?"

wahahahahahahahahahha....

....... since I bought a NEW BENTO BOX!!!!

wahahahahahahahaha...

It happened when I least expected it. I just finished buying some groceries and passed by this shop that sells alot of this and that, and I thought, why not go in and take a look, maybe I will find a new bento box? Haha, don't ask me why, because I haven't had that thought for the longest time!

This new box of mine is so good!!!

The exterior is cute enough...

And it has a oh-my-gosh interior!!!

Look at all the different compartments! Perfect for rice, main dish, side dishes and a fruit/snack! Super perfect!!!

Sure, it does not cost as cheap as Daiso. Yet, it's only selling at $3.90, and I'd say since it's the size of 2 bento boxes from Daiso, it's actually $0.10 cheaper. Haha...

We had to do a hospital visitation, so we took MRT to Outram with Joey..

I wonder if people will think we are weird, taking photos on the MRT.. =P

After our visitation, we went to have porridge at the infamous stall 长城！Oh my gosh, it's been so long since I last ate there and the food is still fantastic!

Joey looks like she cannot believe there's so much food on the table.. hahaha...

Who else but my darling daughter? She is really someone who brightens up my life. =D

This morning, I was cutting some dragonfruits for her in the kitchen and she was just watching me cut the fruits quietly. Then all of a sudden, she went, '谢谢, Mummy'. I didn't respond the first time round. Then she said again, '谢谢, Mummy'. So I replied, 'You're welcome..' Then after a while, she went again, '谢谢, Mummy'.. She actually said it for 5 or 6 times while waiting for me to cut the fruits.

It's not the first time she said '谢谢, Mummy', but what touched my heart was that she really said it as if she meant it with all her heart. I could have just melted there and then. =)

One of those beautiful moments of being a mummy.

This reminded me of something that happened some time back. There was once Joey was not feeling well and I pushed her out in a stroller to buy some food. On the way back, she suddenly turned her head over to stare at me without moving. I asked her what she's doing, and she went in a very sincere tone, '我要看Mummy'.. How sweet. :)

Another of those beautiful moments of being a mummy.

It's a joy watching her grow up. From a super chubby baby with eyes that could hardly open wide enough, she has grown into a beautiful charming toddler now, with lots of people who loves her.

You know, all those things they write in books about how to be a good mummy actually don't work all the time. It's the BEING a mummy that really makes me realise how to do it well. Then of course, there're still much room for improvement. Sometimes I think I am too 'heck-care' a mother. I don't fret if my daughter cries or falls down. I am definitely not the over-protective kind of mother. I feel it's better for her to go through the ups and downs in life, so that she can learn to be independent. But of course, if I can help it, I'd like to minimise the 'downs' as far as possible la. =)

She's becoming so creative you know. Just this morning, she was rocking in her wooden horse, and she went to sing her own version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The only word in her lyrics is '马', so she went 马马马马马马马 to the tune of the song. Haha.. we all laughed when we heard her song!

Joey is so cute.

Took Joey to try the new route by bus today and we both had a good time!

Thank God she's alot more well behaved on a bus. Perhaps because there are more interesting things to see along the way, so she was able to sit still throughout the journey.

We left the house at 830am and reached Suntec around 10am after the 2 bus transfers. In between there was some waiting time for the buses to come, but still quite alright. Best thing of all is that there are lots of seats on the bus because we took from the bus interchange. We could be comfortably seated all the way to Suntec City!

Joey was in such a good mood that she even asked me to take photos of her to show Papa! Then she enacted a scene of what she imagined Papa will react when he sees the photos. She went, 'Mummy, take photo of Joey... Show Papa.. Papa see.. Eh! Joey take bus!' Hahaha... I really don't know where she got the drama queen genes from. =P

This bus that we took from Yishun to Suntec City is a loop service, so tonight Joey and I will hop on the bus at the same bus stop we alighted (just outside Carrefore. No need to walk far at all!!!), and take the bus back to Yishun. I reckon Joey might fall asleep on the way. Heee...

So happy to find this cost-effective way of getting to work and home without having to squeeze in MRT Trains anymore! Praise the Lord! =D

Since we are out today, we brought Joey to have her favorite food after we finish running all our errands..

Here we are at Swensens Vivocity!

Such a good place to relax. Overlooks Sentosa Island.. Ah.. holiday mood.. :)

The food of course!

Then she went into the 'I-don't-want-to-take-photos' mood and Isaiah made alot of attempts to take her photo, but she kept turning her face away. She refused to face Isaiah, but would steal a glance just to see whether the camera is still facing her. Get ready for this very funny expression on her face as she steals a glance!! hahaha..

I leave you with this picture of Mr Kuan and Miss Kuan's silhouette.. =)